A new study conducted by researchers in the United States investigated whether supplementing with a high-potency ginger extract could reduce pain and inflammation in people with mild joint pain from physical activity.
The researchers conducted the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the effects of GingerT3, Specnova’s high-potency ginger extract, on muscle pain, functional capacity and inflammation.
They also tracked secondary outcomes such as range of motion, quality of life, clinical markers, over-the-counter (OTC) analgesic use and side effects.
“As more and more people become active, joint recovery is becoming a major and growing segment of the population, and natural, effective alternatives to the typical OTCs are very much needed,” Sebastian Balcombe, founder and CEO of Specnova, told NutraIngredients.
Ginger extract shows anti-inflammatory and pain relief benefits
Raw ginger contains gingerols, phenolic compounds that offer strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Heat and processing convert gingerols into shogaols, paradols and zingerone, which all have distinct properties but similar roles in reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. These compounds work by reducing inflammation by calming the immune system, blocking COX-2 (an enzyme involved in inflammation) and lowering the activity of NF-κB and Akt (proteins that help drive inflammation).
While OTC nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can also reduce inflammation by inhibiting COX enzymes, they may also cause adverse effects with long-term use. Previous research shows ginger also inhibits the TRPV1 pain receptor, contributing to pain relief.
The potency of ginger’s effects varies by species and cultivation method due to different levels of bioactive compounds like gingerol and shogaol. According to the researchers on the new study, most ginger powders contain only 1% to 2% gingerols, which means 1g to 2 g of powder is needed to reach the recommended minimum therapeutic dose of 10 mg to 30 mg.
Specnova, however, produces GingerT3 through CO₂ extraction, fermentation and a specific drying process that concentrates these compounds for better absorption and to improve efficacy at a lower dose of 125 mg to 150 mg.
“Specnova’s supercritical CO₂ extraction method allows us to extract and concentrate the highest amount of gingerols out of the ginger oil,” Balcombe told NI. “In addition, our proprietary supercritical CO2 conditions allow us to be precise in enriching key gingerol compounds.
“By fermenting the non-oleoresin portions of the ginger rhizome, we are able to increase its stability while keeping the ginger matrix intact as much as possible. This ultimately allows GingetT3 to perform better than other ginger extracts in the market, as our now published clinical study supports.”
Clinical trial shows reduced joint pain and inflammation
The researchers recruited 30 volunteers (15 females and 15 males) between that ages of 40 and 75 with joint and/or muscle pain or osteoarthritis and stable health, to take either 125 mg/day of placebo or GingerT3.
Participants completed a baseline session and two post-intervention sessions, each followed by a 48-hour assessment, over 8 weeks. At each session, they submitted food logs, completed quality of life (QOL) and pain questionnaires, provided blood samples and underwent range of motion and flexibility tests. Researchers used a visual analog scale (VAS) to evaluate pain before and after exercise and replicated these procedures 48 hours later.
Results indicated that the GingerT3 group reported significantly less sitting pain two days after baseline, as well as reduced weight-bearing pain and improved physical function. The intervention group also showed greater improvements from baseline in pain, stiffness and function, especially 48 hours after testing.
The GingerT3 group also had lower mean levels of inflammatory markers IL-1β, TNF-α, GMC-SF and IL-5. However, there were no significant time or interaction effects overall.
Participants taking the ginger powder also reported less bodily pain and greater happiness on some days, but group responses varied widely, and the placebo group sometimes reported more favorable quality-of-life outcomes.
Fewer ginger users (46.7%) relied on OTC pain medications than placebo users (73.3%), though this difference was not statistically significant. Ginger users reported slightly more frequent and severe side effects, such as headaches, palpitations and nervousness. However, no significant differences were observed in lifting volume or muscle pain rating between the two groups.
The researchers noted that the gingerols in GingerT3 address compliance issues of traditional ginger supplements by delivering a therapeutic gingerol dose in a much smaller quantity.
“Our goal was to achieve the highest possible gingerol content from the oil while still maintaining a flowable dry powder, which has historically been a challenge for ginger powders,” Balcombe said.
“Shogaols are breakdown products of gingerols; many of them, though not all, lack the specific bioactivity we are targeting. There are two particular shogaols that play an important role in the GingerT3 formula. However, in general, the less breakdown of gingerols, the more intact gingerols remain, resulting in better efficacy.”
The researchers noted that further studies should explore long-term use, timing of supplementation, effects in healthy active populations and whether ginger can reduce reliance on traditional pain medications.
Source: Nutrients 2025, 17(14), 2365. doi: 10.3390/nu17142365. “Effects of Ginger Supplementation on Markers of Inflammation and Functional Capacity in Individuals with Mild to Moderate Joint Pain”. Authors: Broeckel, J. et al.